I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A woman finds herself transported back in time to her high school days in author Alyssa Villaire’s “RE: Trailer Trash”, a WEBTOON graphic novel illustrated by Yishan Li.

The Synopsis

With over 17 million reads and growing, RE: TRAILER TRASH, the phenom smash Webtoon time travel fantasy of friendship, do-overs, and second chances is now a graphic novel for the first time!

DO OVER. DO BETTER.

Tabitha Moore has lived a miserable life of regret and being treated as “Trailer Trash Tabitha.” But, after a mishap with an MRI, her mind is sent back to 1998 and into her 16-year-old body. With her life now in front of her, maybe this is the chance to redo her life!

But is it so easy to change what you already lived through?

From the bestselling Webtoon Original, RE: Trailer Trash!

Sometimes all you need is a second chance.

For fans of:Before the Coffee Gets Cold, The Midnight Library, All Our Wrong Todays, The Every Day series (David Levithan), The Great Storyteller, God of Cooking, The Middle Falls Time Travel series, Tori Transmigrated, Fated To Fall: A Transmigrator LitRPG Tale, The Many Lives of Cadence Lee , Ascendance of a Bookworm, Shade Touched , Melody of Mana, Interdimensional Garbage Merchant, Beware of Chicken, RELife, Solo Leveling, Azarinth Healer, This Used to be About Dungeons, Good Student, Mother of Learning, ORANGE and MIRAI.

The Review

This was a powerful and compelling graphic novel. The premise is a tried and true one, exploring what would happen if we could go back to our teen years and do things differently. The author does a remarkable job of capturing this theme while also making it feel fresh and unique, providing commentary on the hardships and struggles young women must go through during these formative years and the challenge of standing apart from the rest of the crowd can impact a person’s mental health. The way the author explores the protagonist’s relationships with her parents, her grandmother, and her peers and the way an adult perspective can change some things about the high school experience while others are harder to contend with made this story so accessible to readers of all age groups.

What really stood out to me was how the author was able to bring in that sci-fi/fantasy element of going back in time but didn’t make the narrative all about that plot device. Instead it became a catalyst for a much more grounded, insightful commentary on growing up and how peer pressure, family strife, and mental health can impact who a person grows up to be. Balanced with the bright, beautiful illustrations that captured the 90s era perfectly and the world building the author managed to capture, this was a stellar graphic novel.

The Verdict

Heartfelt, entertaining, and compelling, author Alyssa Villaire’s “RE: Trailer Trash” is a must-read graphic novel. Originally a WEBTOON comic that is now being brought to life through Vault Comics, this graphic novel beautifully uses the fantasy storyline of going back in time to tell a grounded, emotionally-driven story of second chances, finding self worth, and finding the confidence to stand up for yourself and what’s right. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Alyssa Villaire is a writer of young adult fantasy. While she’s based in Los Angeles, most of her stories harken back to the places where she grew up—from the woods of rural Indiana to the lakeshores of Wisconsin and Michigan. She has published short stories in Luna Station Quarterly and in an anthology titled Journeys to Uncharted Lands. When she’s not writing, Alyssa is probably eating spicy food, watching horror movies, or waiting in a virtual Ticketmaster line.

Home

https://www.instagram.com/alyssavillaire/

About the Illustrator

Yishan Li is a professional UK/Chinese manga artist currently living in Shanghai.

Shttps://www.liyishan.com/

https://www.instagram.com/superliyishan